"The most common characteristic of all police states is intimidation by surveillance. Citizens know they are being watched and overheard. Their mail is being examined. Their homes can be invaded." ~ Vance Packard

RECENT COMMENTS BY Roger Young

Columns by Roger Young

Column by Roger Young.
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The powers-that-be in Dallas are in a tizzy after several locations around the area received envelopes of white powder determined to be corn starch. The popular cooking ingredient was said to be accompanied by a “chilling note.” A spokesman reported that the note said “something to the effect of 'Al-Qaeda in the USA.’...

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After reading Anna Morgenstern’s Memorial Day: Remembering the Dead, I was struck by a common (though understandable) error that even the most ardent anarchists and voluntaryists make. Though Anna’s description and analysis of war gangsterism is dead on accurate, I find her views on the (misnamed) Civil War and WWII surprisingly statist.
I...

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Having no television reception, I had never honestly seen and heard Sarah Palin speak. I’ve only read quotes and some text of her speeches. Seeing her words on paper (or rather a web page) is disturbing enough. I’ve only leered at photos showing her dynamite legs--a pleasant contrast to the jagged sequoias Queen Hillary waddles around on. But...

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The wise, worldly editors of the Dallas Morning News have seen fit to name the “Heroes of Ft. Hood” as their Texan of the Year:
“For their dedication, service and so much more, we salute the heroes of FortHood as the 2009 Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year.”
The News has chosen to honor those who “hear the call” to kill...

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June 1, 2009
The lies continue. After the fog of another Memorial Day has cleared, when death, destruction and suffering is glorified and rationalized, two supreme lies remain in the public sphere:
Lie #1: The dead men and women, whose graves you stand over, died for your freedom.
These folks did not die for your freedom--they died to maintain the power of the US government over...

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February 21, 2007
In his column Dueling Dogmas, Emiliano Antunez warns Cubans not to choose Christianity as an alternative dogma to their present Communist rule. He proceeds to make a number of casual assumptions, prejudices, generalizations, scriptural errors, contextual misinterpretations, and stereotypical crudities to make his argument.

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It comes as no surprise that the US Federal Government's massive failure dealing with Hurricane Katrina has not dampened the Amerikan serf's enthusiasm for the voting scam. Dutiful helots traveled from Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta in order to participate in the foolish rite in New Orleans. People just don't seem to learn.

The recent column of Jim Davies makes the contention being a Christian is not consistent with a life of individual freedom. He concludes that the idea of 'Christian' and 'Anarchist,' together, is a contradiction in terms. I will attempt, through my own personal testimony and understanding, but claiming no authoritarian, expert knowledge of theology, that his conclusion is inaccurate.

I first voted in a presidential election in 1976. I have voted in every one since--until today. My choice in the last three elections was the Constitution Party--a hardy, decent bunch, working fruitlessly to resuscitate a document, long since deceased. I decided this year to not only NOT vote, but to spend the day avoiding, the best I could, the stimuli and intense fervor that seems to abound...

Spend anytime perusing conservative (and even some leftist) websites and you're bound to come across a display that encourages readers to 'support the troops.' These displays are usually adorned with Yankee war flags and yellow ribbons. It seems almost mandatory that one who calls him/herself a conservative, no matter how anti-government they may be, must absolutely and without equivocation be...

The past week saw the deaths of two giants in American popular culture. Each, however, reached their lofty status in very different ways. Each made great use of their talents, but in contradictory manners.
You'd have to be living under a rock or in blissful isolation not to have noticed the interminable tributes and ceremonies in honor of former President Ronald Reagan. A week long orgy of...

Ask ten people what Memorial Day is about and you'll probably receive ten different responses. Mentioned are claims of 'recognizing those who have served and fallen in defense or service to their country,' 'identifying patriots who unselfishly answered the call,' and 'acknowledging the heroes of battle.' A common theme encountered in the discussion is remembrance. But, what else should be...

After a long, hard day of toil and service to mankind, I opened my virtual mail box to find numerous messages concerning my 2002 column about Pat Tillman, the pro football player who gave up a promising, lucrative career in the NFL to become an Army Ranger. Through reading these messages, I learned the sad news that Mr. Tillman had become a recent addition to the growing list of war dead in...

Frequently, I receive in my mail box pleas for help in solving a problem by political involvement of one form or another. Many people perceive a situation where the actions of The State are responsible for an injustice. Others wish to solve an apparent injustice (created by The State or others) by initiating or increasing State involvement still further into the lives of individuals.
The method...

Recent allegations and pending investigations of murder involving Princess Diana and Sen. Paul Wellstone bring up an interesting conundrum.
Scandals such as these are certainly tragedies for the individuals deprived of their lives. But the after effects produced by these misfortunes can also be viewed as positive for those people who prefer liberty rather than State bondage. Highly publicized...

On July 4th Dr. John Hagelin will inaugurate 'a new, knowledge-based U.S. Peace Government' which he insists will bring a 'prevention-oriented, problem-free administration to America.' Dr. Hagelin is identified on his website as (take a breath) Professor of Physics and Director of the Institute of Science, Technology and Public Policy at Maharishi University of Management, and Minister of Science...

During the latest War of Yankee Aggression--this time against the sovereign country of Iraq--a prayer was circulated throughout the virtual mailboxes of the internet titled, 'A Special Prayer.' It reads as follows:

Column by Roger Young.
Exclusive to STR
The powers-that-be in Dallas are in a tizzy after several locations around the area received envelopes of white powder determined to be corn starch. The popular cooking ingredient was said to be accompanied by a “chilling note.” A spokesman reported that the note said “something to the effect of 'Al-Qaeda in the USA.’...

Exclusive to STR
After reading Anna Morgenstern’s Memorial Day: Remembering the Dead, I was struck by a common (though understandable) error that even the most ardent anarchists and voluntaryists make. Though Anna’s description and analysis of war gangsterism is dead on accurate, I find her views on the (misnamed) Civil War and WWII surprisingly statist.
I...

Exclusive to STR
The wise, worldly editors of the Dallas Morning News have seen fit to name the “Heroes of Ft. Hood” as their Texan of the Year:
“For their dedication, service and so much more, we salute the heroes of FortHood as the 2009 Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year.”
The News has chosen to honor those who “hear the call” to kill...

Exclusive to STR
Having no television reception, I had never honestly seen and heard Sarah Palin speak. I’ve only read quotes and some text of her speeches. Seeing her words on paper (or rather a web page) is disturbing enough. I’ve only leered at photos showing her dynamite legs--a pleasant contrast to the jagged sequoias Queen Hillary waddles around on. But...

Exclusive to STR
Having no television reception, I had never honestly seen and heard Sarah Palin speak. I’ve only read quotes and some text of her speeches. Seeing her words on paper (or rather a web page) is disturbing enough. I’ve only leered at photos showing her dynamite legs--a pleasant contrast to the jagged sequoias Queen Hillary waddles around on. But...

Exclusive to STR
After reading Anna Morgenstern’s Memorial Day: Remembering the Dead, I was struck by a common (though understandable) error that even the most ardent anarchists and voluntaryists make. Though Anna’s description and analysis of war gangsterism is dead on accurate, I find her views on the (misnamed) Civil War and WWII surprisingly statist.
I...